Decorative material



sept. 23, 1941.

F. KUHLMAN n DECORATIVE MATERIAL Filed Mgrch 28, 1941 INVENTOR FLO'QE 5 Afl/H ,4N

AT oRNl-:Y

Patented Sept. 23, 1941 Florence Kuhlman, New York, N. Y., assignor to EobertAppel, New York, N. Y.

Application March 28, 1941, Serial No. 385,650

4 claims. (c1. 41-34) This invention relates to decorative material Aof the type which may be employed for covering handbags, belts, and other accessory articles of apparel.

An object of the invention is to provide a decorative material which has long wearing properties, is highly attractive, and is inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a material formed of intertted rigid units and to so mount said units as to alford the material a high degree of articulateness.

A further object is to provide a material comprising a plurality of interiitted rigid units and pliable means interlaced with said units whereby an articulate, decorative and ornamental surface is obtained.

Other objects of the invention reside in novel means for securing said material to an accessory article of apparel.

'Ihe foregoing objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following specification or will be apparent therefrom. The accompanying drawing, forming the basis for the specification, illustrates conceptions of the invention lat present preferred. In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a face view of apportion of material made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a ladys handbag illustrating a preferred application of the Ymaterial.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figui is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing an alternate mannerof securing .the decorative material upon a ladys handbag.

In that embodiment of the inventionwhich is illustrated, the decorative material comprises a preferably fabric backing sheet I0, a series of spaced tapes or the like II, a series of transversely arranged spaced tapes or the like I I, and a plurality of units I3.

'I'he backing sheet, while preferably fabric, may be leather or any material which has a desired degree of pliability for the purpose intended.

Both series of tapes may be formed of longitudinally folded strips of fabric, leather, or like pliable material or may be Strands, cords, or ropes. The tapes Il and I2 intersect as can be seen from Fig. 1 and it is preferred that they be interwoven in the manner of basket weaving.

to the edges of the backing sheet as by stitching, gluing, or by wire staples.

The units I3 may be suitably shaped and may be made of any rigid material. However, it is preferred to make the units of plastic compound of the nature of 4Catalin, Bakelite, Beetleware, etc. I

To reduce cost and also weight, the unitsv I3 are each formed as a shell forming a hollow interior I4 where the tapes II and I2 intersect.

Each unit is formed with opposed openings i5 for the tapes II and transverse opposed openings I6 for the tapes I2. The units may be decorated, be formed with attractive designs or shaped to provide a pleasing harmonious area as indicated in the drawing.

As can be seen, the units I3 are arranged coplanar with the openings I5 of a row thereof in alignment so that a tape II may be threaded through said openings and secured at its ends to the backing sheet as described. Several suchv rows of units, commensurate with the height .of the, backing sheet, are so mounted until the f surface of said sheet is covered by the several rows of units. The transverse tapes I2` are similarly threaded through the aligned openings I6 and secured as before.

The units I3 are preferably in edge touching engagement as shown to obviate undue displacement movement among them and yet permittingl the desired articulation. While shown as square units in the drawing. other shapes such as round, hexagonal or octagonal may be used. In the latter case. the backing sheet would become visible in the spaces between the unit, a condition which may be employed to furtherv enhance the appearance of the material.

In the above manner a decorative material is provided which has many uses as can be well understood. A preferred use for this material is as a ladys handbag cover as represented in Fig. 2- of the drawing. Although the material thus formed is pliable it is suiiiciently rigid so that it will maintain its shape unless under normal manipulation but can be articulated in the manner of a fabric or a piece of leather.

Thus, the material lends itself for use in frameless bags as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it being merely necessary to stitch together the adjacent edges of a folded piece of said material as at I1 to form an envelope bag. Suitable closure' means I8 may be provided for the bag opening'. It will be noted that the ends of the tapes` II are firmly held by the seam I9 Vthus formed.

The ends of both series of tapes may be secured This may be in addition to the mentioned secur- 2 A ing means or in lieu thereof. Similarly the ends of the tapes I2 may be secured by the stitching by. means of which the closure means Il is secured.

In thevusual manner, the bag may be provided with a lining 2l.

sides, and pairs of opposed openings in said sides'. said units being arranged with their bases in edge to edge relation. and a transverse series oi' interlaced tapes passing through the aligned As shown-in Fig`. 4, in bags provided with frames, the frame 2| may serve to secure the Y tapes II and I2, the backing sheet Il, and the lining 22. From the foregoing it may be seen that'an attractive decorative material has been provided which has many uses. particularly for accessory articles of apparel. Inasmuch as this disclosure is intended as exemplary only of the invention, it should be understood that many changes within the spirit and scope of the invention as dened in thel following. claims may well be made by those skilled in the art.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A decorative material comprising a backing sheet, a plurality of hollow box-like units disposed on said sheet and each formed with sloping walls, said walls having transversely arranged pairs of openings, a series oi' tapes each passing through the aligned pairs of openings of a row of-said'v units. -andanother series of tapes ar'- range'd' transversely tothe flrst mentioned series and 'each passing through the other pairs of openings of the. transverse rows of said units, each unit having edge contact with adjacent units, said tapes bridging the gaps 'between adjacent sloping walls. .l v

2. In a decorative material, a plurality, of decorative units arranged side by side each comprising a hollow rigidmember having sloping aligned openings'of a row of said umts, andv pairs ofA said opposed openings to inter-connect .gaps between adjacent units.

v 4. A decorative material comprising a plurality of decorative units arranged side by side. each unit having a top and side walls, said side walls having a portion thereof out of line of a plane lying between the units and perpendicular to the tops thereof, said units having partial edge contact with adjacent units, and the out-of-line portions of adjacent units opposing one another to produce a gap between portions of the units,

said units having transverse openings extendingtherethrough and through said out-offline portions, a series of tapes each passing through another series of tapes arranged transversely to the first series and each passing through the other aligned openings of the transverse rows of said units, said tapes bridging said gaps.

FLORENCE KUHIMAN. 

